MILAN: Crisis-torn AC Milan’s problems mounted when they were knocked out of the Coppa Italia quarter-finals 1-0 by visiting Lazio who played the entire second half of the with 10 men on Tuesday.

The result at a freezing, almost empty and hostile San Siro increased the pressure on coach Filippo Inzaghi, with Italian media having speculated before the match that defeat could lead to his downfall after six months in the hot seat.

Inzaghi, in his first senior coaching role, would become the third Milan coach to leave in a year if he loses his job.

In Serie A, Milan are 10th with a five-match winless streak and were beaten 3-1 by Lazio on Saturday.

Lazio took the lead in the 38th with a penalty from Lucas Biglia after a hand ball by Michelangelo Albertazzi before defender Lorik Cana was sent off for fouling Jeremy Menez from behind in the 45th.

Milan had a goal from Giampaolo Pazzini waved off for a hand ball by the forward in the 69th but Lazio nearly doubled the lead when Keita Balde Diao hit the post in the 78th while another potential goal from Milan’s Alessio Cerci was waved off for offside in added time.

In the semi-finals, Lazio will face the winner of next week’s match between Inter Milan and Napoli.

Published in Dawn January 29th, 2015

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